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Adjusting your new bike
23
HP
Velotechnik
Adjusting the pre-load of the sus-
pension
The pre-load determines how far the suspen-
sion compresses when you are sitting on the
bicycle while standing still.
For the rear wheel the same guidelines as for
the suspension fork are valid: for maximum ri-
ding comfort the suspension should compress
by about 30% of the total suspension travel
while you mount the bicycle in driving posi-
tion.
For that purpose measure (similar to the me-
thod described for the suspension fork) the
distance between the two suspension element
bolts or between rear rack and rear wheel
while the bike is unloaded as well as while sit-
ting on the bicycle in riding position.Also take
into account possible luggage. Find out the to-
tal suspension travel possible for your bicycle
with the method described above, depending
on the mounted add-on-parts and the spacers.
The static compression should amount to ab-
out one third of the overall suspension travel.
You can affect this negative suspension travel
depending on how much you weigh and how
much you load your bike either by adjusting
the suspension pre-load for fine tuning or by
replacing the spring with a spring with a diffe-
rent stiffness in the rough tuning.
In order to adjust the suspension pre-load
turn the knobby adjustment ring on the threa-
ded part of the suspension element by hand.
Turning the adjustment ring clockwise (looking
at it from behind) reduces the preload, turning
it anti-clockwise you screw the adjustment
ring towards the spring and increase the sus-
pension pre-load. It is helpful to turn the
spring together with the adjustment ring.
The adjustment ring should be turned no mo-
re than five turns (measured from the relaxed
position) towards the spring. If the suspension
compresses still too far even after six turns,
the spring is too soft and has to be replaced
by a harder spring.A too big pre-load of a too
soft spring does not take advantage of the full
comfort potential.
You will find more information on changing
springs in this manual under "Maintenance and
Care", page 45.
Turn the knurled ring to adjust the pre-load.
Danger! The adjustment ring has always to
be screwed so far towards the spring that
the spring has no play when unloaded.
Otherwise the adjustment ring could come
loose through shocks while riding so that
the slotted rear spring retention disc comes
off. In that case the suspension element may
be damaged or the rear wheel could hit the
frame or rear rack, which may lead to se-
rious falls.Always have an initial pre-load of
at least half a turn on the spring.